Beginning with the 1986 model year, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108 has required that all passenger vehicles have center high mounted stop lamps. Many vehicle models have the stop lamps adjacent the rear window and inside the vehicle. One disadvantage of this mounting position is that the lamp and its housing present a significant obstruction to vision through the rear window. This obstruction is significantly apparent if the driver is driving in reverse and observing through the rear view mirror or directly looking rearwardly. The obstruction caused by the lamp could easily hide a fixed or moving object located immediately to the rear of the automobile.
Presently manufactured high mounted rear brake light assemblies include a light source for projecting a red beam directly through the rear window. The light source is contained within a housing. The housing and light source present the obstruction to vision through the rear window.